Path to Home
by ScarlettHyrule
Summary: No one brings up what happened that night in the forest. No one mentions how Charlie George held the lost girl of eleven in his arms, shushing away her fears of lions, wolves, and death. She is never to know. But the Prince of Fire and Ice has arisen, and Winterfell must always have a Strak. Winter is coming to bring Sansa home.


**Path to Home:** Chapter one

 **By: ScarlettHyrule**

 **Rating:** M. Mature. As in eighteen and older. As in if you are not older than eighteen why are you even looking up stories for Game of Thrones? Go watch Girl Meets World or something!

 **Note:** These characters will not be canon. Sorry, I am not George R.R. Martin. Also, this is a Sansa/Jon story. You've been warned.

* * *

Sansa hadn't recognized the tearful faces that surrounded her or heard their grief filled words. It felt like a nightmare, and at any moment she would be awakened. Her mother would hold her in her warm arms, hands combing through Sansa's fiery locks, while Sansa took in her comforting scent. She had always smelt like clean linen and summer, her mother. A smell Sansa could only describe as pure gentleness and warmth.

A shuddered breath escaped her cracked lips, and with blurred eyes she glared accusingly at the blue autumn sky above. In the movies you always knew when something life altering happened. Almost like the world itself mourned with the people in it. But, she spitefully thought, life isn't like that. The sky wasn't blackened and there would be no rain to hide the wetness on her pale cheeks. No, everything is the world around her was sunshine and daisy's while Sansa stood there, dressed in a simple black a-line dress her father had purchased three days earlier and faded flats pulled from the back of her parents closet. Her face, bruised and cut, stung from the mixture of tears and makeup that had run steadily down her face, and as the Funeral March began to play, and the weight on her chest grew as reality of it all settled in. Her mother was never coming back.

Dirt began to fill the already too full pit, and with a strangled cry Sansa had lurched forward, only to be held back by stern calloused hands. She thrashed in attempt to break free, only ceasing when warm lips grazed her temple while whispering a calming " _Shhhh_."With one last half-hearted tug to escape, Sansa allowed herself to sag against her brothers hold with a soft broken "Why." But he gave no reply as he ran his fingers through her wet hair. At some point it had begun to rain, not that neither had noticed as they they sat, mud covered and soaked, until the last of the dirt was placed and everyone had left. How long they remained, Sansa didn't know, but soon their father cleared his throat, his own face grief stricken and broken, and they stood to join him at his side before wordlessly following him to the waiting suv.

Settling into the plush leather seat, Sansa leaned her head against the cool glass, watching as darkness steals away the last bit of pink left in the sky, she absorbs the silence in the vehicle. Beside her Zak, her older brother, sits tall and proud. Growing up Zak and Sansa had always been confused for twins, with their flaming red hair and pale skin it wasn't hard to see why- the only difference between the two being their eyes. While his were deep brown like the rest of the George family, Sansa's were blue.

The suv began to move forward and out of the cemetery, their mothers tomb growing father away, but Sansa couldn't bring herself to watch as her mothers stoned name disappeared from view. Instead she turned, now focusing on the driver who she realized she didn't recognize. Leaning forward to get a better look, ice colored eyes crash with Sans'a vivid blues through the rear view mirror, and she couldn't help the gasp that escaped her lips: The driver wasn't a man.

Woman working for her father was practically unheard of. A chivalrous at heart,Charlie George always avoid any violence with or around woman when he was able. Having one work in his line of duty would make that next to impossible. Taken in more of the driver's appearance, she notices strands of red poking out from her cap. _If I've been kissed by fire,_ Sansa thinks, finally looking away from the unknown woman, _this woman has been fucked by it._

Zak, noticing Sansa's apparent lost in thought, nudged her shoulder with his own, his faced twisted in his own pain, "I won't ask if you're okay." he started before letting out a defeated sigh. A moment passed as his fought for the right words, but Sansa held up a hand just as he began to speak again.

"I'm going to be fine." She says the words before she can even think. They sounded firm, sure even, and Sansa wondered how her words could be so calm while she was in such jumbles.

If she would have glanced back to the mirror she would have noticed the drives eye, calculating and knowing, trained on her. A smile grazing her lips before she focused back on the word. Instead, Sansa watched her brother. "Good." Zak mumbled. folding his arms and finally relaxing against the head rest ''Fine is... _good."_

That night Sansa sat in bed, the moon shining through the cracks of the blinds acting as her only source of light. It was weird, she decided, living in the place her mother had taken her last breath. Walking through the doors that evening, Sansa could still she her lifeless eyes has she lay sprawled out, her head laying limp from the bottom step, blood pooled around her. If she listens close enough she can even hear her mothers gut wrenching screams for Sansa to _run_ followed by the heavy steps of masked men.

But this was their home, her father had said, and nothing could take that from him. Yet sitting in this room, Sansa couldn't shake the feeling he was wrong. This house didn't feel like home anymore, and no amount of scrubbing or coats of paint would change that.

A knock at her door tears her from her thoughts but before she can speak it is opened, the driver standing quiet as the night. Her hair, Sansa notes now that is isn't covered by a cap, burns bright against her snow like complexion. "I see your mind is still wondering about me?" Her voice is thick and womanly, a voice Sansa always dreamed would belong to a queen.

"Excuse me?"

Stepping into the room, the woman draws near, only stopping when her knees touch the edge of Sansa's bed. "Forgive my forwardness, I am Melisandre. I noticed your state of confusion today." She meant she caught you staring, Sansa thought, an embarrassed blush warming her cheeks.

"yes, well, it's not everyday my father hires a woman." Sansa grips out, voice hardened in attempt to hide her shame.

If Melisandre noticed her tone, she let nothing on. Instead, she sat at Sansa's side and placed a delicate hand upon her chilled face. Glancing over to the unlit fire place in the corner of Sansa's room, she spoke again "The night is dark and full of terrors, why not allow in some light and perhaps that will help you sleep?"

"The dark doesn't frighten me." Sansa mumbled, "Only children fear the dark."

Melisandre said nothing for a moment as she stared into Sansa's weary eyes, and Sansa was certain the woman was peering into her very soul. With a nod of her head, she stood again and headed back towards the door, pausing only to speak, "I see darkness in you. And in that darkness, eyes staring back at me. Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes. Eyes you'll shut forever. We will meet again." The fire place roars to life with er words, but as quickly as the flames were there, they are gone, and snapping her head back to her door, Sansa realizes so is Melisandre.

Shock fills Sansa, and for a long moment all she can do is sit and stare. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, she is up and tearing after into dark, only to realize the red woman was nowhere in sight. Confusion clouds her face as she looked around, calling out a shaky "Hello?" into the empty hall. Walking further out, using the wall as a guide, she tries again, this time her voice a little louder, "Where are you?" she demands, but there is no answer.

Suddenly, Zak opened his door sharply. Eyes wide and gun drawn, he looked ready to take on the devil himself. Scanning the darkened hall himself, his eyes settled on Sansa, and he lowered his weapon, "What the fuck." he groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before taking in her worried gaze "What are you doing.''

"Melisandre was-"

"Who?"

Pausing, Sansa let out a frustrated sigh, "Dad's new driver, she-"

"Sansa, dad doesn't have a _she_ driver, so again: What the fuck?"

Staring dumbly at Zak's disgruntled face, she thought to bring up the fact there had been a _she_ driving the suv not even five hours ago, but decided against it. Instead she put on a sheepish smile as she reached up to run a hand through her tangled out an empty laugh, she lied "I guess I was half asleep. I'm a little on edge."

Zak's brown eyes scanned over her face before smiling, seemly satisfied with what he saw. Walking over, he pressed his lips firmly to her head "You need me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" He asked, worriedly meeting her gaze as his hands gripped the sides of her head.

Pushing away, Sansa shook her head, "No, I'm fine." There was that word again, she though. _Fine._ Between her mother's death and the mysterious red head woman, Sansa was anything but _fine._ However, she must have been convincing because Zak nodded and with a comforting squeeze on her shoulder headed back into his room.

Staring at his closed door for a minute before glaring back to her own open room, Sansa let out a groan. "I'm going crazy.''

Walking slowly back towards her bed, her eyes surveyed the room, almost expecting Melisandre to pop out and shout _BOO!_

She never did, of course, and Sansa plopped face first onto her mattress. Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling, fighting the urge to walk over to the fire place and feel the blackened wood that rest there, just to see it it was warm. Shaking her head, Sansa faced the wall. There was nothing in that pit but old cold wood, she decided, and with heavy eyes she snuggled under the covers, comforted by the cold that had settled there.


End file.
